a journal of hot times, cool people and good clean fun

Black Bania is a smoking hot room on a frozen lake. A tipi will house a sauna room available for use by the public on a bring-your own-towel basis and provide additional space for restorative sauna related activity. We will explore the rich culture of communal sweat bathing referencing Finnish saunas, Russian banias, Roman baths and Turkish hammams, Korean zzimzilbangs, and Native American sweat lodges by providing a space for a series of intimate performances, intellectual exchange, and wholesome physical cleansing.

The Black Bania will be part of Art Shanty Projects, located on Medicine Lake, just west of Minneapolis, MN. Public hours are 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays between January 16 and February 7, 2010.

Black Bania opens to the public on Jan 16 with our first in a series of Riot Act Readings. Click the Riot Act Readings tab for more details.

The third weekend was splendid. Freezing. Clear. Full moon. Thousands of people.
It is my third Monday night in the tipi. It has been snowing all day. The tipi is extra warm for it. And the sauna even warmer. While making dinner (of penne with bacon and tomato sauce) I have accidentally heated the room to 115F. Lauren and I start shedding our winter layers down to our t shirts. There must be at least another 6 inches of snow outside since this morning. Tom’s hockey sticks and Viking shields still festoon my tipi. Yes friends, it has been a storied week of sea chanties (shanties?), bearded ladies, radio interviews, a visit from to men in orange jumps suits who lifted me by my feet over their heads to form a human pyramid (thus saving my life)…and Viking ball, Ice Golf, wood chopping poets, and a friendly visit from the ice police: “Is that your rental car parked in front of the tipi?” “Yes officer, is that okay?” “No problem, just making sure all is fine out here.” Then they rode off on their golf cart/snowmobile.
One more week, I’m just getting to like this.